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Known for a catalogue of passionate, emotional and cathartic albums and tracks, Stars latest No One Is Lost, (out October 14th) kicks off on a surprisingly, and enjoyably, buoyant note on “From The Night” that carries listeners with a sense of momentum that is both fresh and celebratory. It becomes clear here not only is Stars growing up, they may have outlived their party days and be dwelling in nostalgia, maybe even from a perspective of stability. The licentiousness and grit of past albums seems more like a spectator sport here, more often under scrutiny and critique than a morning-after realization. They surprisingly experiment with what could be construed as “poppier” elements here and tap into a fun modern vibe via a more EDM influence and take themselves much less seriously than on previous albums i.e., the electronically bombastic The Five Ghosts or the post-break up wasteland of Set Yourself On Fire.
Lead vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan once again artfully employ their lyrical game of cat and mouse they’re so good at, notably on “You Keep Coming Up,” a sort of lyrical exchange equivalent to glances across the dance-floor.
“I got a stopwatch, I got a shotgun
They want that real love, they want the fake one
I call it poetry, it’s called the pop hook
I’ll turn my face away,
Oh, no I’m gonna make you look!
When you got it, it’s not the way you wanted to be
You gotta give it away, so you can get it for free!”
They dwell consistently in the anthemic from song to song and even album to album, carrying ever pulsing rhythms and employing synth-driven bass and vaguely if not full-on danceable tracks such as and “Trap Door” and “No One Is Lost.” Even the melodic dip towards the middle of Lost keeps you guessing with unexpected rhythmic twists on “No Better Place” and “What Is To Be Done,” to angsty punk stylings on “Are You Ok,” each ornamented by Millan’s hauntingly seductive vocals.
Many a Stars album follows a similar thematic template, in that it features lyrics emphasizing the harsh realities of life but the necessity for individuals to face them authentically and boldly, learning as they move on. No One Is Lost sticks pretty close to that while the inclusion of synth expands the genre of “indie pop/rock”, as well as their personal catalogue and even paying homage to the 1980s synth originality.Fans of the Aussie-indie-pop band The Preatures will find a lot in common here, particularly the similarities to bands like Blondie / The Pretenders. Though this may sound rote, it in no way detracts from the consistent fun factor driving No One Is Lost towards it’s equally effervescent conclusion. With their final track “No One Is Lost,” they bring their album full circle with both lyrically and technically ecstatic machinations.
“Another life, another weekend
Another message checker looking for a friend
You got a pulse, you got a problem
We know the real you so why do you pretend?
The velvet rope, the self that bounces
The girls that shiver in their high heel shoes
But what’s inside, I feel it winning
Put your hands up if you know you’re gonna lose”
Having utilized a recording studio above a now defunct gay discotheque in Montreal, the band has said they were fueled to “out-throb the throb” coming from beneath them, a motivation that can be heard distinctly here. They encourage a revelry that rarely outpaces rationality, moreover the encouragement comes in tandem with the acceptance that life is short, hard, and the fight for stability and joy is a war. It’s rare that the progression of contemporary music and the progression of a bands’ musical stylings and experimentations match up in a cohesive and well timed album, but Stars seems to have tapped into the emergent EDM moment we seem to be bouncing through. These musicians are lyrical realists. You won’t find Campbell’s lyrics blowing smoke up your ass about how everything will turn out ok, rather, you’ll be intoned with lyrics that tell you to buck up and put your armor on, because the world is a harsh place, and at the end of the week, take heart and seize the night.
